Description
Chicken Afritada is a hearty Filipino stew featuring tender chicken thighs simmered in a rich tomato sauce with potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, and green peas. This one-pot dish combines savory and slightly sweet flavors, making it a comforting meal perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or drumsticks
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Vegetables
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 medium green bell pepper, sliced
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
- 1 cup frozen or fresh green peas
- 2 green onions, chopped (for garnish)
Sauce
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup low-sodium or no-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Brown Chicken: Season chicken thighs with salt and black pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces on all sides until golden. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics and Vegetables: In the same pot, add chopped onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Deglaze the pot with a small amount of chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Stir in cubed potatoes and sliced carrots, then add the sliced red and green bell peppers. Sauté the vegetables until they start to soften, around 5 minutes.
- Simmer with Sauce: Pour in the tomato sauce and remaining chicken broth. Return the browned chicken pieces to the pot. Add low-sodium soy sauce, bay leaf, and sugar if using. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
- Add Peas: Stir in the green peas during the last 5 minutes of cooking to heat through without overcooking.
- Serve: Remove the bay leaf from the pot. Garnish the dish with chopped green onions. Serve hot with steamed rice or crusty bread for a fulfilling meal.
Notes
- Use bone-in chicken for more flavor and tender meat.
- Adjust the amount of soy sauce and salt to keep the dish low sodium if preferred.
- Brown the chicken well for a deeper flavor in the stew.
- The sugar is optional and adds a subtle sweetness to balance the acidity of the tomato sauce.
- Fresh or frozen peas work equally well; add frozen peas last to maintain their color and texture.
- This dish pairs excellently with steamed jasmine or basmati rice or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
